District youth division of BJP dissolved in Batala

Factionalism in the local unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to the fore when party’s Gurdaspur unit president Suresh Bhatia dissolved the district youth wing while the youth president termed the step as “unconstitutional”.

The post of party’s city president was already lying vacant for the last five months after Krishan Baldev Suri was suspended for using derogatory remarks against the district BJP president. On Friday, the youth wing president, Vinay Mahajan, had relieved some of the office-bearers from their services, who reportedly shared proximity with district BJP president Suresh Bhatia.

On Saturday, Bhatia dissolved the entire district youth wing. In a press release, Bhatia announced to dissolve the youth wing saying he had decided to make certain changes with a view to strengthening the party for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The new team will be announced following consultation with the party high command, he said. Terming the step as unconstitutional and arbitrary, Vinay Mahajan said he had no knowledge about this. “I have got no information about it from state youth wing president Mohit Gupta.”

Ruling out any rift with the district president, Mahajan said, “I had relieved some of the youth wing office-bearers after the approval of party high command and had brought the entire matter into the notice of the state youth wing president.”

BJP’s state youth wing president Mohit Gupta was not available for comments. BJP zonal in-charge of youth wing Sushil Sharma said, “I am not aware of the development. However, the district president has no right to dissolve the district youth wing.” Vinay Mahajan, he claimed, had made some changes in the youth wing only after getting the consent of the high command.